Betrayal An Emma Fanfic
by HoboFaerie
Summary: Anyone notice the flirtation going on between Emma and Chester? Sean's away and Jay's a manwhore, so it's time for Em to find someone new!
1. Wake Up Call

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to DeGrassi, it's characters, or it's storylines. The following is purely fictional.

**Emma Nelson stood in her old room, which now belonged to her baby brother, Jack. He was 15 months old, and was learning how to do all the cute things toddlers do. Just yesterday he said his first word, "Emma" proving how much he was loved by his big sister. He was an expert walker by now, in fact he had gotten loose around the house a couple times and Emma had to chase him down. She peered over his crib. He had beautiful blue eyes, and was staring at her, his gaze unfaltering. Suddenly his big eyes filled with tears and he started whining. She sighed, imagining the pain he was going through. Teething wasn't easy. Sharp white things poking through your soft, delicate gums? No thank you. She picked him up, rocked him, and gave him a teething ring. She looked at the ticking clock overhead, which told her it was nearing eleven. It was like this every night. Emma had volunteered to take care of him, so her parents wouldn't have to get up in the middle of the night. She had taken to sleeping in Jack's room, on the old rocking chair. She could faintly remember being rocked by her mother as a child.  
Jack finally fell asleep, for now at least. She gently set him back in his crib, and the phone rang. She rushed over to it, picking it up before it could disturb her brother's dreams.  
"Hello?" she said, annoyed. She wasn't expecting the voice that came from the other end.  
"Emmaliiiiiine."  
She shut her eyes. Chester, her backyard neighbor. She hadn't really talked to him since school ended, about a month ago. What could he possibly want?  
"What is it?" she said sharply, not resisting the urge to be rude.  
"Nothing, really. Just thought I'd call. I hope I didn't wake your brother."  
How did he know she had just put Jack to sleep?  
"I'm really tired. It's Sunday night. I need sleep. Good-bye." She almost slammed down the phone, stopping at the last second and gently setting down the receiver. She walked over to the rocking chair, her oversized t-shirt draped over it. She pulled off her tank top and shorts, revealing her pink matching bra and underwear. She reached for her shirt, but just then the phone rang again. She answered it quickly, knowing who it was.  
"What!"  
"Look out your window."  
"Okay..." She strolled over to her window, stopping dead when she saw Chester, phone in his hand, leaning out of his bedroom window. She gazed, open-mouthed, and put the receiver to her ear again.  
"You-"  
"Nice bra, Emmaline." With that, he hung up and laughed uproariously, so loud she could hear him through her brother's closed bedroom window. She scrambled to put her shirt on, went over to the window, and pulled the shades. **

**The next morning Emma woke up to the sound of clattering dishes in the kitchen. She groaned. _Don't be trying to cook, Mom, pleeeeease don't be trying to cook,_ she thought. Lately Spike had been trying to cook meals from scratch. Instead of using pancake mix for breakfast like a normal person she was trying to make it from her own weird recipe. The worst was when she attempted to bake a cake for Snake's birthday. The cakes itself wasn't all that bad, but she had to go and try to make her own icing. It tasted absolutely appalling. Emma had to sneak off to the garbage can and scrape off all the icing. She thought she saw Craig doing the same for his piece and Angie's. The adults just bore with it, eating as little icing as possible. ****  
****Emma was extra-careful not to stand by any windows when she was changing this morning. She walked downstairs, dreading what she'd be eating in a few moments' time. She rounded the corner of the kitchen, but couldn't smell anything burning, or cooking. She saw Spike bent over, rummaging through the cabinets, pots and pans strewn about. ****  
****"Mom?" she asked tentively, stepping over a soup pan to her mother. Spike lifted her head out of the cabinet, and turned around. ****  
****"Emma, I need you to do something for me," she said, getting up and wiping her hands with a dishtowel. ****  
****"You need me to taste something?" Emma said, trying not to grimace. ****  
****"What? No, that's not it." Spike walked over to the counter, pulling a ten-dollar bill out of her purse. She turned around to face her daughter, handing over the money. Emma took it, confused. "I need you to run down to the store. I need macaroni noodles. And mayo. I'm making macaroni salad." ****  
****Emma was slightly shocked. "You're not making... homemade mayo... and homemade noodles?" Spike had made homemade spaghetti before, her own sauce and noodles; Emma couldn't understand how macaroni salad would be much harder. ****  
****Spike shook her head. "No time. The block party is today. I forgot I signed up to make macaroni salad. I have to have it in three hours!" ****  
****"Okay. Any other ingredients? Celery? You can't make that yourself." ****  
****Spike nodded. "I think I'll need everything." She reached in her purse and pulled out another ten. "That should be enough. Go!" ****  
****Emma was ushered out the door before she could run down to her bedroom and brush her hair, maybe put on some eyeliner. She blinked for a moment, the sunlight being so bright, and headed down to the corner store. ****  
****She got to the end of the block, walked in the store, and looked for the needed items. Tuna, celery, eggs- did they have eggs? She'd get them just in case- mayo, and macaroni noodles. She paid the cashier, who put her groceries in a brown paper bag, and headed toward the exit. She was about to open the door, one arm wrapped around the paper bag, when Chester came in, facing backwards, and opened the door right into Emma. The bag was knocked out of her protection; it fell to the ground. The eggs didn't stand a chance. ****  
****Chester bent down, realizing what he had done. It didn't stop him from laughing at the fact there was egg yolk splattered all over Emma's pants. She grabbed the celery from him, shoved it in the yolk-ridden bag, give him a cold glare, and walked home without a word. **


	2. The Favour

**Emma sat outside on her porch. The block party was in full swing; Spike had invited Joey and Caitlin, who had brought their karaoke machine. Of course they and her parents were "entertaining" the neighborhood with a rendition of "Everybody Wants Something." She grinned to herself. Joey and Snake had fun pretending they still had their band. Emma had a special appreciation for the Zits- her mom had gone into labor during one of their shows. ****  
****She stopped grinning when she saw Chester and his brothers walking over, Chad tossing a football back and forth with Chuck. Clearly they found her parents funny, but she wasn't sure that was a good thing. ****  
****Chuck tossed the football at her; she caught it just before it hit her in the face, but she dropped it. Chester picked it up. ****  
****"Emmaline..." ****  
****"What, Chesterson?" Chesterson? Why did she give him a dumb nickname like he had given her? She braced herself. ****  
****"I'm so glad our parents would never do anything embarrassing like that." He was testing her. Emma tried to look like she didn't care what she thought. Wait, tried? She didn't care what he thought. She didn't. He continued. ****  
****"What I really want to know is... your friend Darcy. Is she... available?" ****  
****This wasn't what she was expected at all. Far from it. Since when did Chester like Darcy? Since when did she care who he liked? Is that why he called her last night? Whatever. Emma knew fully well that Darcy thought Chester was, so to say, yummy. She'd set them up. Darcy was her friend. Chester annoyed her. If she set them up, maybe he'd stop bugging her. But in the meantime, she could use this to her advantage. She smiled slyly. "Why do you want to know?" ****  
****"Umm, Chuck, Chad... can you guys go... somewhere... not here?" Chester's brothers groaned but complied with his wish. ****  
****Emma pressed on, "You like her. Don't you?" ****  
****He sat down next to her on the steps of her porch and leaned closer. She could smell him. He smelled nice, she thought, not gross and sweaty like most guys did. ****  
****"Not necessarily... I think she's nice, and she's _totally_ hot, but I want to get to know her. Will you help me?" ****  
****Emma turned away, pretending like she was going to say no. She turned back. He looked desperate, hopeful. She could make him do stuff for her in exchange for help. But no, she wasn't like that; she wasn't Paige. She nodded her head. ****  
****"Thanks, Em." He hugged her, one of those quick, awkward hugs, and ran off to play football. **

**Emma found herself staring at Chester while he was playing football. He was very muscular, she noticed, and athletic. He could outrun his two older brothers easily, and every once in a while they would unfairly tackle him. Emma didn't notice Craig sitting down next to her. But he noticed who she was staring at. ****  
****"Hey, Emma, what's going on?" ****  
****She looked over at him, startled. "Hey Craig. I didn't know you were here." ****  
****"I just came with Ange. So... you got a thing for Chester?" ****  
****"What? No." She was trying to convince herself as well as Craig. He raised his eyebrow. "I don't. I just... enjoy football, okay?" ****  
****Craig backed away a few inches. "Alright, alright. I believe you." ****  
****Just then Angela came running towards them, arms outstretched. "Emma!" She wrapped her arms around her former babysitter, hanging from her neck. Emma returned the hug before prying her off. Angie grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to the sidewalk, where they began an afternoon of writing on it with colorful chalk. **

**Emma lay awake that night (in her own bed for a change) thinking about what Craig said. It wasn't possible to like Chester. Not for her, anyways. She turned over and looked at her digital clock. Two AM. She just couldn't fall asleep. She couldn't think clearly with all the distractions of her house- Jack crying, her parents getting up. They got home at about 12 from the block party, so they were keeping tabs on the baby tonight. Let Emma get some decent sleep. She got out of her bed and changed into a pair of jeans and a black tank top. After a quick search for a grey zip-up hoodie, she snuck out. ****  
****Emma stepped outside, immediately regretting the hoodie decision. She didn't know it would still be this hot at two in the morning. She took it off, tied it around her waist, and walked down the street. She turned the corner, and another corner; she was on Chester's street. She passed his house, a chill running down her spine. _No_, she thought, _this isn't happening. I won't let myself like him. I can't. I'm going to set him up with Darcy._ She walked back around to her block, snuck back inside, and fell asleep, without even changing, before she could change her mind. **

**Emma woke up in the morning to... silence. No crying Jack, no Spike attempting to make Belgian waffles, no clicking of Snake on his laptop... just silence. She opened her eyes, and saw her clock. 12:32. She sat up, a bit dizzy. Not bothering to change out of the previous night's sneaking-out clothes, she walked upstairs into the kitchen to find nothing but a note on the fridge. She scanned it, learning that her parents had taken Jack to the park. _Great_, she thought, _I have the house to myself._ ****  
****After making herself a sandwich, she picked up the phone and dialed Darcy's number. It rang twice before she picked up. ****  
****"Hello?" ****  
****"Darcy. It's Emma. Listen, can you come over?" ****  
****"Sure." ****  
****She hung up. Darcy took notoriously long getting ready, especially when she was going over to Emma's- she wanted to impress Chester. Smiling to herself, Emma went upstairs and took a shower. **

**An hour later Darcy and Emma were sitting in lawn chairs in the front yard, sunglasses on, tanning. A football landed between their chairs, grabbing their attention. Five seconds later Chester, Chad, and Chuck came bounding from across the street. ****  
****"Hey Emmaline." ****  
****"Chesterson." Emma took off her shades and opened her eyes, surprised to see Chuck standing over her. ****  
****"Chesterson? That would be him." Chad pointed to Chester, who was standing behind Darcy, trying to steal her sunglasses. ****  
****"Hey! Give those back!" Chester had taken off with her shades; she got up and quickly chased him around into the backyard. Chuck sat in her empty chair, taking a sip of her Coke. "Ten bucks says they're making out right now." ****  
****Chad smiled at Emma, and knelt down beside her. "Wanna bet against him, Emmaline?" ****  
****"Don't call me that," she said, putting her sunglasses back on. ****  
****"Chad, only _Chesterson_ can call her that." Chuck was mocking her and Emma knew it. ****  
****"Oh, that's right. You have a crush on him, don't you Em-ma?" Chad took her sunglasses and put them on, grinning. ****  
****"Do not," she mumbled, snatching them back. ****  
****"Chuck, you better go check on them. Make sure they aren't doing anything naughty." ****  
****Chuck leapt up and ran into the backyard. Chad got closer to Emma. He smelled like Chester, but it wasn't the same. Emma's stomach churned. He probably _was_ making out with Darcy. But, she had decided she didn't like him. Or, at least her mind had. ****  
****"It's okay if you like Chester. He's too stupid to notice. Besides, you can have a better Chester. You can have me." With that, Chad stood up, just as Chuck came around the house from the backyard, interrupting Emma's rebuttal. Not that she had one. What could she say to Chad's proposition? ****  
****"Well, they weren't back there. My guess is led her back to our house. And up in his room." ****  
****Emma's heart sank. If they were alone in Chester's room... there was no doubt in her mind they were hooking up. Her set up had worked all too well. **


	3. Mistaken Love?

**Darcy and Chester finally appeared; it seemed as though they were keeping a secret from the rest of them. They all went inside to watch a movie, _Saw_, but Emma wasn't paying much attention. Chad and Chuck kept laughing at every gory part where someone got killed or hurt, and Chester and Darcy were whispering intently, their fingers lingering in that limbo between holding hands and not. She couldn't help staring at them, wishing Darcy wasn't there. Wishing no one else was there but Chester and herself. Twice she thought she saw them kiss. No, it must have been a trick of the light. Or so she hoped. **

**That night, Darcy slept over. Emma lay on her bed, Darcy in her sleeping bag, on the floor. Emma sat up. She couldn't keep wondering what had happened that afternoon. ****  
****"Darcy?" ****  
****"Yeah?" ****  
****"What happened with you and Chester?" ****  
****"Well," she sat up, "I had to chase him down, to get my sunglasses, ya know? He went over the fence into his backyard, so I followed. We went inside, he poured some lemonade... we sat on his couch, and we... Emma he kissed me! It was the best thing. We made out... three times before we went back to your house." ****  
****Emma didn't need to turn the lights on to know that Darcy had a huge smile on her face. She felt sickened, like she was going to throw up. ****  
****"So are you two... together?" ****  
****"He didn't ask me out... do you think he will? I _really_ like him, Em. And I want him to like me, too." ****  
****Emma didn't bother replying; she just lied back down, crying silently to herself, another sleepless night. **

**Darcy left right after breakfast that morning; she didn't know why, but it seemed like Emma was mad at her. As Darcy walked home, the euphoria from the night before began to wear off. She finally got what she wanted- she had hooked up with Chester. But now she didn't feel like talking to him. Maybe it was because he didn't ask her out? No, that wasn't it. Maybe it was because... the chase was over? Darcy liked the chase: the excitement, wondering when it would happen and fantasizing about how. Now that she had him... but she didn't _really_ have him, did she? They weren't going out- yet. Darcy smiled. She had found her new chase: making Chester see her as a girlfriend instead of just a one afternoon stand. **

**Chester lie awake in his bedroom. He heard a rumble outside- it was going to storm out. He sighed and pulled the covers over his head, trying desperately to think about yesterday. _Why didn't I ask her out?_ You'd think after they kissed, after they had such good chemistry, asking Darcy out would be a no-brainer. He fully intended to do it, too. But when they were watching the movie he looked over at Emma- and could have sworn he saw hurt in her eyes. But what exactly was she hurt over? It couldn't have been the fact that him and Darcy were getting so close- could it? He didn't think so; Emma didn't like him like that. Or did she? No. He put that fantasy out of his mind. He'd liked Emma before. But he never told her. He'd gone after Manny instead. A stupid mistake. And then the whole thing with Jay. Yes, Chester heard about it, the whole school did. How Emma had given Jay a blowjob. In a van in the woods. The whole thing was ridiculous. It made Chester want to go back in time and beat up his former self for not going after Emma like he'd wanted to. Maybe if he'd told her how he felt in the first place, Emma wouldn't have been pulled into Jay's drama, Jay's disease. And that one word- disease- made Chester separate himself from her. Until he needed her to get to Darcy. But talking to her made him realize just how fun, and nice, and _beautiful_ Emma was. He was so STUPID! He didn't like Darcy- he liked Emma! And now he was stringing Darcy along. Great. He was officially a man-whore. **

**Chester sat up. Somehow all this thinking wasn't helping him much. He lay back down and forced himself to fall asleep, hoping his dreams would consist of a perfect world where he and Emma could be together without any drama. **

**That night Emma fell asleep in the rocking chair at 9pm. She didn't feel like going out; she was way too tired. Besides, going out meant she would most likely see Darcy or Chester- or both. Possibly together, holding hands, laughing, and- God forbid- kissing. So Emma tried in vain to get a good night's sleep and put all thoughts of Chester out of her mind. ****  
****She woke up 5 times to comfort Jack, each time finding herself trying to look into Chester's bedroom, but the curtain's were drawn, a small parting between them. She saw a glimpse of him once, wandering aimlessly around his room, shirtless. She felt a tingle, and looked away before she allowed herself to fantasize about him. ****  
****She woke up around 12, finding Jack gone from his crib and another note on the fridge. This time they were visiting Snake's parents in Manitoba; they were taking a train down there and would be back the following evening. Surprised they trust her home alone, she quickly formulated a plan. ****  
****She picked up her cell phone and pressed speed dial number 1. ****  
****"Manny? It's Emma... spread the word. I'm having a party tonight." ****  
****She hung up, smiling, and spent the rest of the day dreaming about what that night would bring. **

**Emma was sitting at her mirror, applying mascara, when the doorbell rang. She ran downstairs and opened the door. Manny walked in the living room, carrying a few bags of chips and pretzels. Emma grabbed a bag of Doritos and led Manny to the kitchen, where they set the bags on the counter. ****  
****"So?" ****  
****"It's all set for tonight," said Manny. "I told everyone to get here around 7:30." ****  
****Emma quickly glanced at the clock. "My first house party starts in forty-five minutes!" ****  
****The girls emptied the bags of chips into different large bowls, setting them strategically in various areas of the house. They went upstairs and spent the next thirty minutes getting ready. **


	4. Party It Up

**By about 8 o'clock, about forty people had showed up. Liberty and JT were sitting on the couch, having an intimate conversation. Darcy and Chante were in the kitchen, chatting. A few people, including Craig and Marco, were downstairs in the basement. Jimmy was by the stereo in his chair, Hazel sitting on his lap, talking to other partygoers. Ashley brought Terri, who seemed very excited to be with her old classmates. Even Paige had shown up, with her brother and Mr. Oleander, who looked like he felt out of place. It was a good turnout for a Thursday night, Emma thought. Where was Chester, though? ****  
****Nine came around and the doorbell rang. Emma rushed to the front door, quickly tousled her hair, and answered. ****  
****Chad and Chuck immediately barreled in, with two cases of Smirnoff Ice and a bottle of Absolut Vodka each. Chester emerged behind them, holding one bottle of Malibu Rum and another bottle of Jack Daniels. Emma was quite speechless; how did they get all of this alcohol? ****  
****"Chester! Where does she want all of this?" Chad's voice rang from the kitchen. "The fridge is pretty full!" ****  
****Emma walked over, still in kind of a daze, and took some cans of Sprite and Coke out, making room for the alcohol. Just then Manny rushed in, seeing the drinks. ****  
****"Well, it's officially a party. Where did you guys get all of this?" ****  
****Chuck grinned at her. "Block party. Wouldn't believe what the adults left when they went home." ****  
****Manny grabbed a Sprite and motioned to Chester, who handed her the Malibu. She poured half of the Sprite into the sink, filling it with the rum. She gave Emma a Look. Emma hesitantly grabbed a Smirnoff and took a sip. She had to admit it tasted pretty good. ****  
****Just then Darcy and Chante filed in, laughing. ****  
****"Hey Chester! Pour me a drink? Just surprise me." Emma glared. Could Darcy be a bigger whore? ****  
****"Can I have a Jack Daniels mixed with Coke?" Chante asked. ****  
****Chester mixed her drink, and poured some vodka into a Coke for Darcy. The girls left, and more people came piling into the kitchen, shouting drink requests. ****  
****"You shouldn't have to play bartender all night," Emma said to Chester. "They can get it themselves." ****  
****Chester nodded. "Anything you want is in the fridge, people. Don't do anything stupid." He smiled at Emma, snatched the Smirnoff from her, and downed what was left of it. ****  
****"Weak stuff, Nelson. That won't get you drunk." He made her a Sprite mixed with vodka and rum, pouring it in a plastic cup. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "Drink this." ****  
****"Are you _trying_ to get me drunk?" ****  
****He just laughed, and walked away. Emma could've sworn he'd winked at her. She took a sip of her concoction. It was stronger than the Smirnoff. She drank the rest of it, and made herself another. **

**By 11 o'clock, Emma was stumbling around, obviously drunk. She felt hot, so she went downstairs and changed into a pair of shorts. She walked upstairs and into the kitchen. She opened the cabinets looking for another plastic cup, found one, and began searching for the vodka and rum. There wasn't much left of the Malibu rum, and a whole bottle of Absolut vodka was gone. She decided to try a different drink. But what to try? This was her first drinking experience; she didn't know what to mix. She tried to think. What was that drink Chester had made for Chante? Coke and... Emma remembered now. She poured the Coke in the cup, and then some Jack Daniels. She found a spoon and stirred it. She put it up to her nose and smelled it, immediately recoiling. It smelled really, really strong. Could she handle it? Sure, why not? She took a huge sip quickly, shaking her head after. Where was Chester? She wanted Chester, really bad right now. She peered into the living room. No Chester. Instead, a crowd had formed around Darcy and Chante, who were dancing wildly. Not _too_ wildly. The only drinks they'd had were the ones Chester made for them. Whatever. This was perfect. When Emma found Chester, no Darcy could interrupt them. She smiled and slinked through the living room. **

**After twenty minutes of searching and another Jack and Coke, Emma needed to go outside for some air. How did it get so hot inside? She stepped on the porch. She started to feel better, but then caught sight of two people messing around over by the side of the house. Emma squinted. Who was that? She walked over there, downed the rest of her third Jack and Coke, tossing the cup behind her. She was five feet away from the people when she realized it was Darcy and Chester. ****  
****"What the hell?" The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. ****  
****They immediately parted. Chester looked... guilty? Why? He was doing nothing wrong, and deep down Emma knew it. But that didn't stop her from yelling at them. ****  
****"I can't believe this! How could you guys do this to me?" ****  
****Darcy took a step toward her. "Em, what are you talking about? You knew we liked each other!" ****  
****"Get off me, you whore!" She swung her arm behind her and Darcy withdrew. ****  
****She had probably just ruined a friendship, but Emma didn't care. This was all too much to take in right now. She reached the porch and Chester grabbed her arm. She turned around. "Get off me!" She broke loose and opened the door, Chester ran in and shut it behind him. She was on the third stair going up when Chester dragged her down. He forced her into the kitchen. "Sit down!" He made her sit when she was in mid "No!" ****  
****"Emma what is your problem? You're the one that set us up." He peered at her, observing her eyes. "How much did you drink?" ****  
****Emma stood up too fast, knocking the chair over. "None of your business!" She screamed it so loudly, everyone in the house heard it. Someone turned the music off, and Paige and Hazel stood in the kitchen doorway hanging onto every word. Emma was surprised they weren't taking notes. This was even better than the whole Jay scandal. Emma gets drunk at her own party and acts like a bitch. ****  
****"It is my business! You're drunk!" ****  
****"You're the one that brought it all! I wouldn't be drunk if it weren't for you! I hate you! And your little girlfriend!" ****  
****Emma ran past the on-lookers, and downstairs. She flew onto her bed, sobbing hysterically into her pillow. **


	5. You Can Have Me

**Emma lay on her bed for what seemed like hours. The music had been turned back on about five minutes after her outburst. No one cared that the hostess was down in her bedroom crying her eyes out. As long as she didn't announce it was time for everyone to leave, they could give a crap about her. But even though they didn't care, Emma knew she'd be the subject of their gossip in the coming weeks. ****  
****There was a knock on the door leading to the basement. Emma sat up. It opened. She didn't know who to expect. Manny, coming down to comfort her? Chester, coming down to apologize? Darcy, coming down to yell at her? Or maybe Paige, coming down to get the firsthand scoop. ****  
****The curtain that separated her "room" from the rest of the basement opened, and Chad stood there. ****  
****"Are you okay Emma?" ****  
****She sighed and sat up. "I'm fine, I guess." ****  
****"My brother's an idiot. Don't listen to him." He sat down next to her, handing her a Smirnoff. "Drink it." ****  
****"I'm already too drunk," she said, but popped the cap and took a sip anyway. It was refreshing- her throat burned from the whiskey of Jack and Coke. She turned to Chad. He looked almost caring in the moonlight. Something made her trust him. "I like him. I really do. And I saw him with Darcy." ****  
****"And you got jealous." Chad was smart. ****  
****"Yeah," she looked up at him, teary-eyed. "I'm such an idiot!" She started crying and locked herself in a deep embrace with him. He patted her on the back, and she pulled away. "Thanks. I needed that." ****  
****Then she leaned in, closed her eyes, and kissed him. She couldn't control her body, she couldn't pull away. She didn't want to. She leaned back, Chad on top of her, never unlocking lips. It soon turned from a gentleman's kiss to a passionate one, their tongues moving in and out of each other's mouths. It was an incredible sensation Emma never knew existed. Sean never kissed her like that. Jay was too sloppy and wild. Chad was the perfect kiss, tender and hot at the same time. She didn't even stop him when his hand moved up her cami. That was perfect, too: gentle, soft, caring. Not at all rough. They stopped for a minute and Emma pulled off his shirt. She moved her hands along his warm back. ****  
****They rolled over, Emma in top now. She took off her cami; she was now wearing her grey bra as a top. They didn't stop kissing the whole time. She tugged at Chad's belt until that was gone, too. They stopped. He was breathing heavily. Emma didn't know if she could ever want anybody more than she wanted Chad right now. But she had to stop. She had to control herself, and she knew it. She didn't want to be the girl to sleep with a guy the first time, even if she knew him before. She got off of him, and pulled her shirt back on. He looked at her with a sideways glance. "I understand. It's too soon." He got up and found his belt on the floor. He was buckling it when at that unfortunate moment Chester opened the basement door.**

**He didn't even say anything. He just silently turned around and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Emma and Chad exchanged a Look, before racing up the stairs. By the time they tracked him down, Chester was already outside and walking down Emma's driveway. Emma ran up to him and grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. Chad stood on the porch, not sure what to do. ****  
****"Don't look at me like that." ****  
****"I'm not looking at you like anything," Chester mumbled. ****  
****"Yes you are! Don't act like you're all disappointed in me!" ****  
****"It's hard not to based on what I just saw!" ****  
****"Yeah, well what about what _I_ saw!" she screamed. "What about that?" ****  
****"That was different! You set me and Darcy up! We had every right to be making out!" Chester was screaming now, too. "And plus, _we_ didn't have sex!" ****  
****"Well neither did me and Chad! You just walk in and assume crap that isn't true!" ****  
****"That's why his belt was off? Were you giving him head, too? Get another bracelet? Maybe pick up chlamydia this time?" ****  
****"Shut up, Chester, just shut up! Go home! Get out! I meant it when I said I hated you!" ****  
****"FINE! Fine," he said more quietly. "You can go mess around with my brothers, you can talk to them. But we're through, Emma. Don't even bother saying hi to me anymore." ****  
****By now another small crowd had formulated to watch this fight. Another rumor would start. Emma, having sex with Chad at her own party. She knew it would be hard to go back to school in August. ****  
****Darcy stepped off the porch, and ran to the sidewalk. "Chester!" She turned to Emma, angry with her. "Thanks for the perfect night, Em. You're a great friend."She walked to the end of the drive way and turned around. "Just so you know, don't bother calling me."****  
****With that she darted down the street to catch up with Chester. ****  
**

**  
****The next morning Emma woke up on the couch, Manny at the other end of it. She tried to sit up, but got so dizzy she immediately fell back down. So this was what a hangover felt like. But was the intense pain in her stomach the result of too much alcohol, or the ruined friendships with Darcy and Chester? ****  
****She started crying softly. Manny stirred, and sat up after a few moments. ****  
****"Em, what's wrong?" ****  
****"Everything," she said, her voice breaking. "I ruined everything. I ruined-" ****  
****"Shh." Manny gave her a hug. "Let it all out, Emma. Let it all out. ****  
****Emma sobbed on her best friends' shoulders, wishing that she would wake up and find out the previous night had just been a horrible dream. **


	6. Complications

**Emma finally stopped crying long enough to realize the state of her house. There were about 20 empty Smirnoff bottles, and tons of plastic cups. The empty bottles of Malibu, Absolut, and Jack Daniels still stood on the kitchen counter. They walked around with two garbage bags, picking up every bit of trash they could find. Finally, the house bore no evidence of a party. The girls walked down to the garage can at the end of the driveway, quickly realizing the full bags wouldn't fit inside. ****  
****"Maybe we should just leave them next to the garbage can," Manny suggested. "That's what we always do if we have too much trash." ****  
****"But what if my mom sees the bottles?" She groaned. "I'm _so_ screwed!" ****  
****Just then Chuck came waling around the corner. ****  
****"Need help, ladies?" ****  
****"Yeah, what should we do with all of this?" Emma asked. Manny seemed to be avoiding his gaze. ****  
****"How much room do you have in your trash?" ****  
****"It's about half-way full. But I can't put all the bottles on top, the next time Snake takes out the trash he'll see them!" ****  
****Chuck kicked over her garbage can, trash spilling out everywhere. He took some of the bottles and put them at the bottom of the garbage can, covering them with the rest of the trash. Emma marveled at his genius. ****  
****"Now we do the same at our house." ****  
****"Your house?" What Emma really wanted to know was, did this involve seeing Chester? ****  
****"Yeah." ****  
****They walked around the corner to his house, covering up the rest of the bottles, and most of the plastic cups. Chuck stood back to admire his work before turning back to the girls. "Now as for the rest of this crap... Manny how far away do you live?" ****  
****"What?" She took a minute to answer, still not looking him in the eye. "Oh, not far. Ten blocks, maybe?" ****  
****"Well, lucky for you, I have a car." He went over to the garage, entered the security code, and started a red Toyota Camry. He beckoned for them to get in. ****  
****They cruised along to Manny's house, emptied her garbage cans, and piled the cups and other trash into it, covering it up with her regular garbage. ****  
****"Now what?" said Emma. ****  
****"Now... we go home and take a shower." He laughed. "Manny, are you coming back to Emma's?" ****  
****"Umm... no, It's fine." ****  
****"But Manny all your stuff is there!" ****  
****"I'll come by and get it later. My parents will be home soon." ****  
****"Okay... bye." Emma got back in Chuck's car and they drove to his house, parking in the garage. Chester was waiting. ****  
****"Chuck, where have you been I needed the car!" he saw Emma. "Oh. Chuck, she's getting with you now, too?" ****  
****"Stop being an ass. I was helping her clean up last night's mess." He stepped up to Chester and glared at him. Chester grabbed the car keys from him, got in, and sped away. ****  
****Emma started walking home. She saw Darcy walking into the corner store down the block. Tears sprang to her eyes. She walked up to her house to find Joey dropping off Spike, Snake, and Jack. ****  
****"Bye Joey!" Spike waved as Joey drove off slowly. "Emma! I'm so glad to be home." ****  
****"Why was Joey here?" ****  
****"He drove picked us up at the train station. You must have wondered why the car was in the garage," Snake told her. ****  
****"Oh," she said flatly. "I didn't check." ****  
****"Em, what's wrong, baby? You look upset." Spike could always tell when something was wrong. "Here, Archie, take him." Snake took Jack and went inside the house. ****  
****"It's nothing, mom." Emma's voice was shaking. "Just the normal drama." ****  
****Spike gave her daughter a hug, knowing not to pry anymore. It was just what Emma needed.**

**That night Emma could hear the distant sound of music coming from Chester's house. Was he throwing a party? Maybe. Not that he would've told _her_. She lay awake, tossing and turning, pulling the covers over her head. Anything to drown out the laughter and music. Suddenly, she heard a tap on the window. She sat up, breathing heavily. She slowly turned to face the window, and saw Chad motioning wildly for her to open it. She walked over to it and slid it up. ****  
****"Hey Emma," Chad slid into her room. "You feel like partying tonight?" ****  
****"At your house? Chester wouldn't want me there." ****  
****"It's not just his party. It's mine and Chuck's, too. And we want you there." ****  
****She smiled. "The neighborhood is gonna hate us. Two parties right after each other?" ****  
****"So are you coming or not?" ****  
****She thought for a minute. "Yeah." ****  
****He grinned. "Meet me out front in ten minutes." ****  
****Chad went back outside, leaving the window open for Emma to sneak out of. She found a pair of jeans on top of the dryer, and opened her drawer and put on a white Hollister shirt with pink lettering. She put on some eyeliner and mascara, and snuck out.**

**She met Chad out in front of his house, as planned. He grabbed her waist, and led her in the house. ****  
****It was busier than Emma's party had been, but then again there were three groups of people- Chester's friends, Chad's grade 12 friends, and Chuck and his friends, who spent every night partying and getting ready for college. Emma was in kind of a daze; there were so many people here she didn't recognize, and it seemed as if every time she saw a girl and guy together, they were hooking up. In front of everybody. Someone handed Chad two Mike's Hard Lemonades. He opened them and handed one to Emma. She took a sip, vowing not to get drunk two nights in a row. She would control herself tonight. ****  
****"I would've told you about the party earlier, but Chuck kind of surprised us," Chad explained. "He said he was gonna have his friends over, and so me and Chester decided to have people over, too." ****  
****Emma nodded. Speaking of Chester, where was he? ****  
****"You wanna go downstairs?" Chad looked so hopeful Emma couldn't say no. ****  
****They walked through a crowd of slutty girls doing body shots off each other while a few excited guys looked on. Two girls started making out with each other, clearly pleased with all of the attention they were getting. ****  
****Chad lead Emma down to his basement. There was another full living room down there. People were dancing to blasting hip-hop music, there was even a strobe light going, making everything seem to be going in slow motion. A couple was heavily making out on the couch. There was a closed off room in the corner. Chad opened the door. It was just a small laundry room. A washer, dryer, and two huge baskets, one filled with clean clothes and the other with dirty ones. He closed the door behind them. ****  
****Emma hopped up onto the dryer. Chad was so tall they were exactly face-to-face. He leaned in and kiss her, she kissed him back. It was warm and sensual, but soon got very heated. She slid off the dryer and into his arms. For some reason there was a beanbag chair in the corner, and they moved their make-out session onto the chair. it was even better than the last time; for one thing, Emma was much more sober and could appreciate their connection.**

**They emerged upstairs a half hour later, smiling. The two girls who had been making out with each other were now on top of some "lucky" guy, taking turns making out with him and stopping every few minutes or so to make out with each other again. Chad pulled her to a less pornographic area, the kitchen. There were a few people in there, drinking from plastic cups. Paige and Hazel stood by the fridge talking to Jimmy and Marco. Emma could hear bits and pieces of their conversation. ****  
****"Marco, Dylan's ready for a commitment with you. Isn't that what you wanted?" ****  
****"Yeah, Paige. Wanted. Past tense. He didn't want to be exclusive. And I did. But now I'm just fine without him." ****  
****Paige's reply was interrupted by a loud yell. ****  
****"YOU!" ****  
****Emma turned around; Chester was in the kitchen doorway pointing at her. Chad stepped protectively in front of her. "Lay off. I invited her." ****  
****"Chester stormed over. "How dare you bring her here! After what she did to me! And Darcy!" ****  
****"Look, Chester. You and Darcy hooked up, me and Emma hooked up." ****  
****"The only reason she hooked up with you was to get me jealous!" ****  
****"Well, then it's working because you seem pretty jealous to me!" Chad said hotly. ****  
****A small voice came from the doorway. "You do seem jealous, Chester." ****  
****Emma turned again. Darcy, just great. ****  
****"It was a nasty thing to do, yelling at us," she said, stepping forward, "but why do you care so much if she hooks up with Chad? Unless you like her." She cocked her head quizitively to the side. ****  
****"No... no, of course not, Darce." He seemed to be tripping on his words. ****  
****"Then let if go. If you don't like her, then you shouldn't care so much." ****  
****"Right. Absolutely right. Let's go." He grabbed Darcy's arm and they headed downstairs. ****  
****Emma's face burned. She walked over to the fridge and opened it, taking out a Smirnoff. She could feel Paige and Hazel's eyes following her. Why did the two biggest gossipers in DeGrassi history have to witness every pivotal moment of Emma's summer?**

**Emma stayed long enough to finish her Smirnoff and give Chad a hug before she headed home. She snuck back in through the basement window and changed into an over-sized tee. She laid on her bed, expecting another sleepless night analyzing Chester's actions, but she was so tired she fell asleep as soon as she hit the pillow. **


	7. The Turnaround

**On Saturday Emma had to baby-sit Jack and Angela while Spike, Snake, Joey, and Caitlin all went to downtown Toronto for an adult day. She took the kids to the park, pushing Angie on the swing while Jack found amusement in the sandbox. They stayed there the entire afternoon. At about 4 o'clock, Emma spotted Darcy and Chester walking through the park, holding hands. She stared after them, packing the kids' things to go home. She was responsible for feeding them and it was nearing dinnertime. That was the excuse Emma told herself. ****  
****The adults didn't come home until late, about 2am. Emma was still awake as she heard them come in, laughing. Caitlin came upstairs and woke up Angie, who was lying on Emma's lap in the rocking chair. They gave Emma hugs good-bye and went back to Joey's. Emma fell asleep soon after.**

**That morning she woke up and walked upstairs to the smell of sausage and pancakes. The sausage was, of course, store-bought, but Emma could tell the lumpy yellow mixture on the stove was her mother's creation. Snake sat at the table reading the technology section of the Sunday paper, taking a sip from his coffee. Jack sat in his high chair, cooing and occasionally babbling "Mama," "Dada," or "Emma," at which point Spike would nearly drop the sausage on the floor and squeal in delight. ****  
****Emma ate her pancakes silently and without complaint. Today would be a peaceful day, Emma thought. It was more of a wish than a fact.**

**Just after a lunch of Spike's homemade spaghetti, the phone rang. Snake happened to be closest to it and answered it. ****  
****"Emma!" he said, covering the phone. ****  
****"Yeah?" ****  
****"Phone for you." She ran over. "Manny," he said, handing her the phone. ****  
****"Hello?" ****  
****"Hey Em. I was wondering... did you want to come over today? Spend the night?" ****  
****"Yeah, sure," she said. "I'll be over in an hour?" ****  
****"Okay." ****  
****They hung up and Emma ran downstairs to pack some overnight things. ****  
****"I'm going to spend the night at Manny's," she announced to her parents at the door. ****  
****"Alright, Em. Have fun and don't stay up too late." ****  
****"I won't." She walked out the door and headed to Manny's house. **

**It was about a half-hour walk to the Santos residence. Emma trudged along, wishing she would have asked for a ride instead. She made it to Manny's, finally, and stood on the porch, ringing the doorbell. She heard a rush to the door and some giggling voices. The door flung open, Manny and Chante on the other side of it. ****  
****"Hey," Manny said breathlessly. ****  
****"Hi, guys," Emma said, stepping into the hall. ****  
****"Come on," Chante tugged Emma's arm and lead her up to Manny's room. She opened the door. Old Spice Girls' blasted from the stereo. Manny went and turned it down. ****  
****"I was just teasing Chante about how she hasn't hooked up with a C-H." ****  
****"C-H?" ****  
****"Chester, Chad, and Chuck," Manny explained. "I've kissed Chester, you've hooked up with Chad... and Darcy-" she stopped short at the look on Emma's face. ****  
****"I think maybe I'll go for Chuck. He hasn't gotten with any of us yet." Chante said. Emma noticed Manny looked uncomfortable at this idea. "No offense, but no chance." She said, looking down. "He's three years older than you." ****  
****"Yeah, I guess you're right." ****  
****Just then the doorbell rang. Manny and Chante just sat there. ****  
****"Manny, aren't you gonna get that?" ****  
****Manny looked down. "My mom will get it." ****  
****"Okay." ****  
****A few moments later Manny's bedroom door opened. ****  
****"Hi guys, sorry I'm so late, I-" ****  
****It was Darcy. She stopped in mid-sentence after seeing Emma. Manny and Chante kept staring at the floor. ****  
****Emma rose. "I'll be leaving." ****  
****"No, that's okay. You were here first." Darcy had a fake-smile and clenched teeth. Emma walked over to her. ****  
****"No, really, it's okay. I wouldn't want to ruin another night for you." ****  
****She was halfway out the door when Manny finally spoke. "Emma stop." ****  
****She turned. ****  
****"This is getting ridiculous, okay? You guys are good friends. Don't let some stupid guy ruin your friendship. He's not worth fighting over!" ****  
****"Chester didn't ruin our friendship," Darcy said calmly, "Emma did. If she wanted Chester for herself she should've never set us up in the first place." ****  
****"I didn't want him, okay?" Emma was near tears. She began walking back and forth between Manny's door and her bed. "I don't know why I acted the way I did. I'm sorry for what I said, and I know this doesn't change the past, but I'm sorry." ****  
****She finally flung herself on the bed, crying. Darcy was shakened. She got up and comforted her friend. "Em... I'm sorry. I should have-" ****  
****"No. You were fine. It was me." ****  
****"Emma you were drunk," Manny said. "It brought out the worst in you. But you can't help that; you didn't know what would happen!" ****  
****"Emma... it's fine, really. I'm sorry for some of the things I said, too. Let's be friends again. Please stay." ****  
****Emma sat up, and she was so overcome with emotions all she could do was give Darcy a hug. **

**It was about four in the morning. Emma and Darcy lay awake, talking like they used to. Manny and Chante had fallen asleep hours ago. They were now sharing their most intimate secrets. ****  
****"Em... what's it like kissing Chad?" ****  
****Emma lie back on her pillow, sighing. "It's... really amazing," she said, turning over to face her friend. "It's as close to being perfect as a kiss could get. What about..." she was almost afraid to ask. Though she had shared many secrets with Darcy tonight, Emma hadn't mustered up the strength to admit her feelings for Chester. ****  
****"Chester?" Darcy smiled. "Fantastic. Hot. Fireworks. That sum it up for you?" ****  
****"Yeah," Emma laughed. She paused, then said, "Have you done anything more? I mean, more than just kissing?" ****  
****"Not really. Well... I mean he's been up my shirt. Does that count as something more?" Emma nodded. "In fact, I've never been further with a guy. What about you? I mean... of course I know how far you've been with Jay. But what about Chad?" ****  
****"I... he's equaled Jay," she said quickly. Darcy gave her an almost-menacing look and Emma quickly defended herself. "I'm cured. And we were smart about it. We talked about other partners- I was his third and he was my second. He put on a condom just in case." ****  
****Darcy wasn't sure how to respond to this. "I guess that's alright, then." She looked at the clock. "Oh my gosh, it's past four. Maybe we should sleep?" ****  
****Emma nodded dreamily; her eyes were already closed. "Night, Darce." ****  
****"Sweet dreams. Emmaline." Darcy giggled. ****  
****"Oh and Darcy?" Emma just thought of something. ****  
****"Yeah?" ****  
****"Don't tell Chester... what me and Chad have done, kay?" ****  
****"Of course not." ****  
****"Good. I want to be friends with him again." ****  
****"Don't worry, Em, I'll make sure he knows you're sorry. And it's kind of his fault you were drunk, too." ****  
****Emma sighed and fell asleep with a smile on her face for the first time since the summer began. Everything was finally falling into place... **

**There was a ringing in Emma's head. It was annoying, and singsong, and it wouldn't shut up. It got to be too much. She opened her eyes and sat up. She heard a buzzing sound now, too. Suddenly it stopped. She looked all around her and her eyes rested at Darcy, quietly chatting on her phone. ****  
****"Hello?" she whispered. "Oh hi Chester." Pause. "At Manny's. Listen, I need to talk to you about something. In fact..." she glanced at Emma... "I have someone who needs to talk to you." ****  
****She forced Emma to take the phone. ****  
****"Uh... hey Chester." ****  
****"Who is this?" ****  
****"Emma... please just listen!" She blurt it out before he could tell her where to shove it. ****  
****"I'm listening." ****  
****"Chester... I'm really sorry. For everything. I was... to put it bluntly, I was drunk. I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't care who I hurt. I'm sorry." ****  
****"Well..." he wasn't going to forgive her, she knew it! "I understand. And I'm sorry for over-reacting about you and Chad. I guess I was a little... jealous." ****  
****Jealous? Did he say jealous? Why would he be jealous? She didn't mention it, though. "Thanks. I'm glad we worked this out. I want us to be friends again." ****  
****"Of course... Can you put Darcy back on?" ****  
****She handed Darcy the phone. Darcy got up and went to the bathroom. This was obviously some sort of confidential boyfriend-girlfriend conversation. One she would probably never have with Chester. Well, she would just have to settle. She lie back down and fell asleep thinking of Chad's words: ****  
****_You can have a better Chester. You can have me._ **


	8. New Friendships

**Chante's mom picked her up from the sleepover, and Emma and Darcy left Manny's after lunch. They were both walking to Emma's house. Darcy, of course, wanted to see Chester, but the two friends were eager to hang out after making up. Suddenly, Chuck drove past them, turning down Manny's street. The girls gave each other a "What?" look, but continued walking on. They past the corner store just in time to see Chad and Chester walking out of it. ****  
****"Emmaline. Darcelia." ****  
****Emma gave Darcy a Look, but she just smiled and shook her head. ****  
****"Chesterson!" She gave him a hug. It felt good to be on good terms with him again, but it felt even better to be in his arms. Emma didn't want to let go, but she did anyways. ****  
****Chad pouted. "How come I don't have a cool nickname?" ****  
****"Of course you have one, _Pickle_," Chester said mockingly. "Mom and dad gave you that one a long time ago, remember? When you threw up that dill on the fourth of-" ****  
****He was interrupted by Chad hitting him. ****  
****"Ooh, I've got one!" Darcy exclaimed. "Ready? Chadwick." ****  
****Emma smiled and shook her head. They were idiots, all four of them. Somehow they came up with the bright idea of going to Emma's house and putting that in her AIM profile. They went downstairs, turned on the computer, and signed on sparklespaz. ****  
****"Okay... Chadwick, Darcelia, Chesterson, Emmaline... bee eff eff's" she said, typing as she spoke. She turned to her friends. "There. Good?" ****  
****"Hold on," Chester said, leaning over her and typing. He smelled better than he ever had. He moved away. _Chesterson 3s Darcelia_ had been put in. ****  
****"Hey!" Chad leaned over Emma and begin typing away, too. He didn't smell nearly as nice as his brother. Emma didn't have to look at the screen to know what he had typed: _Chadwick 3s Emmaline_ ****  
****Emma put up an away message about hanging out with her funny-named friends, and moved away from the computer, standing up. ****  
****"Okay, now that we're done being dorks..." ****  
****It had started to rain during their little detour indoors, so she popped some popcorn and ordered a movie from Pay-Per-View. Darcy Chester and Chad were all lying on their stomachs, staring at the TV. ****  
****"Aww, _The Incredibles_," Darcy breathed. I haven't seen that yet. It's supposed to be really cute. ****  
****"And boring," Chester snorted. Darcy hit him and he messed up her hair. Emma dimmed the lights and lied down next to Chad, offering around the popcorn bowl. ****  
****About halfway through the movie, Darcy lost interest in its cuteness and her and Chester were snuggling on the couch. Emma stare blankly at the screen, not really paying attention but at the same time avoiding looking at Chad. Why did he put that in her profile? Was that his way of asking her out? Her thoughts were interrupting by a voice. ****  
****"Emma?" ****  
****She turned to look at Chad. "Yeah?" ****  
****He kissed her. She was momentarily surprised but then started to get into it. She opened her eyes and pulled away. "You sure you wanna do this in front of your brother?" ****  
****"He's not paying attention to anyone but Darcy," he whispered. ****  
****Emma looked over at the couch. Chad was right. Chester and Darcy were quite preoccupied with each other at the moment. Emma turned back to Chad and resumed their make out session, all the while imagining she was on the couch kissing Chester. **

**After the movie, everyone went home and Emma's family ordered pizza for dinner. It was quiet, peaceful. The usual stuff. Until the interrogation began. ****  
****"So, Emma... how's Chester?" Snake said casually. Almost _too_ casually... ****  
****"He's fine. Why?" ****  
****"No reason, just... you've been hanging out with him a lot lately." Spike said. ****  
****"So, what's your point?" Emma was beginning to get very annoyed. ****  
****"Well..." Spike was being very careful in her questioning. "Is there something more... than just a friendship... between you guys?" ****  
****That was it. The anger inside Emma exploded. They just had to go there. Why do they have to remind her about the guy she couldn't have! Why did they have to suggest the one fantasy that would never happen? She wished so much she could answer Spike's question yes. The fact that she couldn't put her in a worse mood than any fight with Manny ever did. ****  
****"No, mom, we're not!" she yelled. Spike looked startled. ****  
****"Okay, Em, I was just asking." ****  
****Emma stood up. "Why is it your business anyway? Why should you care if I like him, or if we're going out? Well we're not, okay? So just drop it!" ****  
****There was silence. Spike and Snake were in a complete shock. Baby Jack started crying and Spike picked him up and held him, _shh_-ing him. ****  
****"Emma go to your room." Snake finally said, calmly. ****  
****"Gladly!" Emma stormed off, blinking back tears. When she got downstairs, she flung herself on her bed and let it all out.**

**Emma let all of her emotions pour out with her tears. They flooded out of her, leaving her exhausted when the crying was over. She just lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The basement door opened and she heard someone coming down the stairs. She hoped it was her mom. She was finally ready to talk about everything. Her unrequited love. It was killing her inside, and she just needed to talk to someone about it. ****  
****The curtain opened and Snake's head appeared. She looked over, disappointed. "What do you want?" she said coldly. ****  
****"Emma," he said, entering her room, "you're grounded. No leaving this house until further notice. In fact, you can't even go outside. After the stunt you pulled today you don't deserve anything better." ****  
****He walked out, the curtain swishing as he passed, and shut the basement door with a sharp manner. Emma turned over and cried into her pillow again. ****  
She**** woke up the next morning feeling bitter. She didn't leave her room all day. She wanted to avoid Snake, and her mother. Emma was angry that Spike didn't come down to talk. Instead she sent her little puppet to do her dirty work. Emma's stomach had a gnawing pain; she hadn't eaten since dinner last night. ****  
****Finally night came. Hours passed. She looked at her digital clock. One in the morning. She decided it would be safe to sneak upstairs. ****  
****She quietly tiptoed to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She pulled out leftover pizza and popped it in the microwave. She ate, her stomach immediately feeling better. She discarded the leftovers and went upstairs to take a shower. ****  
****She snuck back downstairs and put on a pink cami and white cotton shorts. She felt refreshed. She felt somewhat better. She was just about to climb into bed when there was a knock on the window. She looked up, and saw Chester's smiling face.**


	9. The Kiss

**Emma kneeled on her bed and lifted the window open. Chester crawled in and landed beside her. She had fantasized him being in her bed many times. Now that he was here, she was speechless. ****  
****"Emma," he said, hugging her. His voice was hushed. "We've all been worried about you." ****  
****"Me? Why?" ****  
****"None of us has heard from you since yesterday. Or seen you outside. Are you sick?" ****  
****"No... just grounded." She felt too ashamed to tell him the reason. ****  
****"Oh... well wanna go for a walk?" ****  
****"Umm... sure." ****  
****"It's kind of chilly," he said, with a genuine concern in his voice. ****  
****"Oh... right." She found a pair of jeans, stripped off her shorts, and changed. They slipped out the window and into the moonlight. It was then Chester noticed her puffy eyes. ****  
****"Em, have you been crying?" ****  
****"No," she lied, quickly. Too quickly, apparently. ****  
****"What's wrong?" ****  
****"Nothing." More lies. ****  
****The walked in silence. He stopped when they reached the street. Emma stopped too, and turned to face him. ****  
****Chester suddenly wrapped his arms around her. It felt warm, safe, like all of Emma's troubles were being absorbed by him. She looked up, her eyes glistening. They met with Chester's. He smiled. She realized she would never get over him. No matter how hard she tried. Having him as a friend just wasn't enough. If she couldn't have him, completely... she wouldn't allow herself to partially have him. It was all the way, or nothing. She looked down. He tilted her head back up. It was at this moment he kissed her. ****  
****It was more perfect than Chad. It was more perfect than anything. As their tongues swirled in synchronization, causes tingling sensations that made Emma dizzy in a good way, she thought of the past week. _How could this happen?_ she thought. Images of them yelling at each other, her and Chad making out, Darcy and her smiling and talking- Darcy. She was betraying her friend. No. She pulled away. ****  
****"We can't," she whispered, a tear running down her cheek. She ran down the street to her house, and snuck back in through the window. She quickly shut it, pulled the covers over her head, and tried in vain to fall asleep. Her mind was racing, and so was her heart. **

**A huge crash woke Emma up. She heard the pitter-patter of rain and the rolling of thunder. Another crash and a flash of light. She pulled the covers over her head. The events of last night made her feel like a child again- she couldn't control anything, not her thoughts, feelings actions... and all of those things were bad right now. Punishable. If Darcy found out about last night... she closed her eyes in regret. _It was just a kiss_, Emma told herself. _It didn't mean anything..._ But she knew she was lying. It meant everything, to Emma, to Chester... even to Darcy, though she didn't know. It meant the end of her first serious relationship. Unless they acted like everything was normal, like the kiss never happened. The rain died down and Emma fell back asleep. ****  
****Two hours later she was awake again. It was still storming, harder than ever. The doorbell rang. She could hear voices whispering in urgency, and Spike say "Of course." Twenty minutes passed and she still didn't hear the visitor leave. She slowly got out of her bed and walked up the stairs, curious. She opened the door and poked her head into the living room. Everyone turned to look at her. _Everyone_ included Chester and his family. Chad waved to her. It was cute, really. She could do nothing but stare. She felt so guilty- Chad genuinely liked her, and she had kissed his brother. ****  
****Emma glanced at Chester. He refused to look at her. Her heart sank. She closed the door just as Snake began to explain, and sat on the basement steps, head buried into her hands. **

**It was another hour or so before Emma dared to go upstairs again. This time everyone was sitting in the family room, watching a movie. Some Godzilla-ish horror flick. Meaning it was cheaply made and not at all scary. Chester, Chad, and Chuck looked unbelievably bored, but they perked up as soon as Spike spotted Emma.  
****"Emma Nelson, explain yourself," she paused the movie and stood up, hands on her hips. Emma froze.  
****"Nothing, mom, it's just-"  
****"Just what? We have guests and you slam the door in their face?"  
****"I was just surprised. And confused. Why are they...?"  
****"Because their power is out. Their whole block."  
****"Then... why do we have power?"  
****"We run on a different power line, Em," Snake was remaining calm. Why Spike was in such a pissy mood was beyond Emma.  
****"They'll be here until tomorrow, at the very least."  
****"Wait," Emma said, this new fact registering in her brain. "So they'll be... spending the night there?"  
****"Yes, Emma! Why are you being so rude!"  
****"I'm not! I just was wondering!"  
****"Be more polite to our guests! Make them feel welcome, don't just stand there and act like you don't want them here!"  
****Emma glanced at Chester's parents. They looked more uncomfortable at Spike's outbursts than at Emma's questions, however "rude" they may be. She looked back at her mother. She quickly scanned her from head to toe. She looked different. It suddenly dawned on her.  
****"Mom, are you pregnant again?"  
****Snake got up and tried to play peacemaker. "Emma, now is not the time to discuss this."  
****"Whatever." Emma rolled her eyes and went to sit down. There was a space between Chester and Chad. Perfect.  
****Spike sat down in shock. She'd never answered Emma's question. That didn't matter right now. The movie played on. Chad looked over at Emma and kissed her forehead and put his arm around her. She glanced at Chester. He looked sulky. He got up and went to the bathroom. When he came back, he found a spot on the floor next to Chuck, not looking at Chad and Emma for the rest of the movie. **


	10. Irresistable

**Dinner that night was full of tension. Spike made a pot roast with carrots and potatoes, homemade gravy of course. She sat across from Emma, not looking at her, not daring to speak to her. Instead of saying, "Emma can you please pass the carrots?" she just reached across the table and helped herself. Chester was sitting as far away from Emma as possible, four seats to her left; even Baby Jack separated them. Chad sat next to her, grabbing her hand underneath the table and squeezing it when the silence became too unbearable, showing his support for her. She smiled at him every now and then, but always caught sight of Chester in the corner of her eye and blinked back tears. ****  
****Everyone was finished and Spike got up to clear the table and serve a desert of freshly baked Apple Pie, which had become her specialty. She served Emma an unusually small piece and sat down. ****  
****Mrs. Bloom took a bite and smiled. "Christine this is amazing! You'll have to give me the recipe." ****  
****"I'll write it down for you later," she replied flatly. Mrs. Bloom looked slightly deflated and that ended all talking for the rest of the night. ****  
****In truth, Emma was never so happy to get ready for bed. She crept upstairs while the three brothers were playing cards, so they wouldn't see her getting in the shower. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't care if they knew she was showering, but this wasn't normal. A month ago their presence would have been brushed off; she probably would be walking around in a robe, unaware of them. They would have been insignificant. But this wasn't a month ago; this was tonight. The fact that Chad had already seen a near-naked Emma only made her want to cover up more. He couldn't feel the bad attitude Chester was giving him; no one seemed to notice it but Emma. Even as they played cards, presumably poker, Chester gave Chad a sinister smile every time he won, as if to say, _Ha, I beat you!_ ****  
****By the time Emma got out of the shower, Chad was waiting outside the door. ****  
****"I wondered what was taking so long." He gave her a quick kiss and tugged at her towel, which was wrapped around her bare body. If she hadn't kissed Chester, she probably would have teased him a little and let the towel almost slip off. But she had. And what made it worse was out of the corner of her eye Emma could see Chester standing at the bottom of the stairs, glaring at them. **

**It was two AM and Emma was wide awake. The thought of Chester and Chad in her house kept her up. Two guys she'd hooked up with in the past week. Two brothers, one she was deceiving and the other she was leading on. She wasn't that serious about Chad. He felt more strongly about her than she about him. ****  
****Emma sighed. She should have never let that kiss with Chester happen. Maybe if she didn't kiss Chester, she would learn to love his brother... it was a drama gull of should-have-beens and what-ifs. She got herself into this, but she didn't know how to get out. ****  
****The truth was, she liked Chad- she really did. But Chester was the one that made her heart beat faster, her palms sweatier, her knees weaker. Chad's kisses were great, but she was unemotionally attached. It felt like a fun fling to Emma- a _very_ fun fling. She felt that something with Chester could be something real. The only problem was Darcy. ****  
****But if Darcy and Chester weren't together, would it be fair just to dump Chad? She knew it wouldn't. Chad was a problem, too. ****  
****Emma got up and walked up the stairs. She needed something to eat. Maybe it would help her fall asleep. She couldn't stay up all night thinking about this. She rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen to see someone rummaging through the fridge. The figure stood up and looked at her. She stood frozen, not know what to do. Chester started walking over to her. **

**"Chester," she breathed, hugging him. She felt tears spring to her eyes. He sighed and reluctantly held her in his strong arms. She felt safe. She pulled away and looked up at him, blinking back the tears. ****  
****"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I like you. I want you to know that. But Darcy-" ****  
****"I overreacted. Darcy, she's your friend. And my girlfriend. And Chad is my brother. It wouldn't be right." ****  
****"This is so messed up. I like you, you like me... but it's just not possible. Not without anyone getting hurt. People we care about." Emma needed this reminder for herself as well. ****  
****Chester nodded. They hugged again. She caught a glimpse of Chad, sleeping on the couch. She let go of their embrace. She felt like she was betraying Chad, just by wanting his brother. ****  
****Chester seemed to sense this. "I should probably get to bed. Did you want something to eat?" ****  
****"No, I'm fine now." She wouldn't be able to fall asleep right away, but knowing Chester was no longer mad at her eased her thoughts. She walked to the basement door, opened it, and stopped. ****  
****"Bye, Chester," she said, shutting the door behind her. She was three steps down when she heard a soft knock. Chester entered and shut it behind him, quietly. Emma heart beat faster and faster... she walked slowly to her bed, knowing Chester was behind her, and knowing what was inevitably coming next. She didn't bother going under the covers. Instead she sat down and stared out the window, at her pillow, at anything but Chester... he lifted her chin and kissed her softly, barely brushing her lips. Her whole body tingled, she shivered ever so slightly. She looked up at him and gazed into his eyes. Suddenly she pushed him onto her bed, lying on top of him and kissing him madly. She ran her hands through his hair; he somehow worked her bra and got it off in five seconds. They kissed and kissed until they could kiss no more, falling asleep in a guilty embrace. **

**They woke up around 6am, when the sun was bright enough to shine though the basement window and interrupt their sleep. Emma sat up, her heart pounding, breathing heavily. _What did I do?_ she thought. Last night was amazing, no doubt in her mind, but it would just complicate things further. She groaned and smacked herself in the forehead. Chester sat up now. "I should probably go upstairs." he hopped off her bed. Her heart raced even more as he kissed her cheek. "I'll see you later I guess." ****  
****She sat back and buried herself under the covers. ****  
****Half an hour later the door opened again. She didn't dare sit up. Chad came down and entered her room. Oh, God. For half a second Emma considered faking a deep sleep, but he pulled the covers off of her and saw her expression of shock. ****  
****"Emmaline," he chuckled, "did I scare you?" ****  
****"No... I'm just tired, I guess." ****  
****"Okay." He laid down next to her, pulling the covers over them. He hugged her, kissing her neck. It felt bland, it didn't make her stomach flop like Chad's kisses usually did. After a passionate night with Chester, Chad was boring. He wasn't good enough. She didn't want him anymore. ****  
****"Maybe... maybe we shouldn't be doing this right now. I mean, what if my mom comes down to do laundry or something? Or wake me up for breakfast?" ****  
****Chad nodded, clearly disappointed. He hesitantly walked up the stairs and out the basement. The door half-slammed. ****  
****Emma felt bad for rejecting him. She had to end things with him. She didn't like him anymore. It wasn't there after what happened last night. She cried slightly and fell back asleep.**


End file.
